|
Special to RW Online:
Tips for Planning 9/11 Anniversary
Vallie-Richards Consulting has offered its radio clients ideas
for planning coverage of the anniversary of Sept. 11. The
following is excerpted from the company's "Radio Focus"
newsletter, with permission.
Capture the Moment
The first anniversary of 9/11 is almost here. It will be a significant
day. On that day everyone's mind will be on the events of one year
ago, what has happened since, where we are now, and what can happen
next. Now is the time to begin preparing for how your station(s)
will commemorate the day. This is the first anniversary of this
type in our country, so there is no direct reference point for how
to program to the moment.
We encourage you to plan now to determine how you commemorate this
infamous day. As an industry we pride ourselves on being topical
and relevant to the moment. On this day, "top of mind awareness"
will be on Sept. 11, 2001. Consider scheduling a brainstorming session
with the staff, then capture the moment. We have listed some thoughts
to help you begin your brainstorming and planning.
* Send a listener to New York to be the correspondent for the morning
show at the site of the World Trade Center. Get call-in reports
that will be timely for the day and certainly moving. This could
be done for all three attack sites: New York, Washington and Pennsylvania,
all day long. If you can't send a listener, send someone from the
station. Talk to the people there; it will be compelling content.
* Do giveaways of FDNY material, along with materials from your
local fire department to commemorate the heroes that were there,
as well as local heroes. Observe a moment of silence or a moment
of prayer at the time the first plane struck the towers. Be sure
to tell listeners in advance so they can plan to participate.
* Take calls from listeners on where they were the morning of Sept.
11, how they responded and how it has affected their lives. Tape
them all for playback, for promos and to archive for future Sept.
11s.
* Resurrect the patriotic songs and some of the relevant customized
tribute songs that were put together last year. (These songs can
be in rotation beginning the weekend before since the 11th is on
Wednesday this year.)
* Research audio resources and archives for use for the morning
show and all day. This gives you an excellent opportunity to prepare
outstanding production elements that will make your station more
interesting, compelling and relatable.
* Call on local high-school band directors and work with them in
putting together a human "salute" to America in football
game openings. Solicit hundreds/thousands to come out on the field
prior to the game. Have the band leaders work with them to get lined
up to spell USA holding red, white and blue cards while singing
the National Anthem.
* Do the same as above, but have it set up as a fundraiser; have
aerial photos taken of the scene.
* Give away American flags all day at easy access locations, with
help from fire/police departments.
* Prepare to have memorial pins, fire department caps/hats, tee
shirts, etc. that memorialize the day with "we won't forget"
or "9/11," etc.
* Play the national anthem at the top of the hour all day long
with a recorded open saluting those who died on that day and those
who have died in the war on terrorism since Sept. 11.
* Encourage listeners to place signs in their yards and neighborhoods
saying things like, "America, the land of the free and the
home of the brave."
* Arrange in advance to have sound bites and interviews with the
mayor/police chief/fire department chief/governor talking about
security and/or reflecting on 9/11.
* Have on-air salutes to those still involved in fighting the war
on terrorism and those in your area that have returned from stints
of duty.
* Have the GM, PD or news director in a recorded announcement with
a non-hype and reverent delivery and copy saying how the station
responded last time, and "will be here to respond the next
time when terrorists strike again."
* Customize your website to salute the anniversary, fly the flag
on your site, include written patriotic quotes and sound bites,
etc.
It will be difficult for some to realize this far in advance how
the country will be consumed with this anniversary on that day.
It will be in all newspapers, news networks, magazines, etc. and,
most important, it will be the most top-of-mind subject with your
listeners.
"Regular programming" should not be the norm for that
day. Prepare now so that you will be as topical and relevant on
that day as your listeners would expect you to be. It's another
opportunity for you and the industry to shine.
Be Ready
On Sept. 11, 2001, there was no precedent for how the nation or
we, as the radio industry, should respond. In retrospect the response
was impressive in our industry. The Jacobs media survey that followed
the event indicated the majority of listeners said radio did a good
to excellent job of covering the crisis.
This time we should be more prepared. Most expect the "other
shoe to drop," and Homeland Security has warned us that we
can expect another attack. It's just a matter of when and where
and how. Whether it's between now and Sept. 11, on Sept. 11, or
afterwards, this time there is no excuse for not being prepared
to respond.
Most likely the next terrorist attack will be different from the
previous ones. This requires serious thought and consideration.
We urge you to meet with staff and have a plan in place in order
to be as prepared as possible. Some things to consider:
* Have a staff meeting now to let them know their responsibilities
and what the station will expect from them in the next crisis.
* Address the overall attitude the station will need to reflect
the emotional tone of the country.
* In the face of a possible attack and possible deaths, be sensitive
... no song parodies, no un-educated/juvenile editorial comments.
Have them know who to go to and how to get accurate information.
* Evaluate immediately any promotional campaign to make sure it
doesn't trivialize the situation.
* Make sure the morning show is focused on the event and eliminate
the usual features and bits.
* Go back to news updates if the attack is as significant or more
so than last time. Make staff aware of all arrangements with news
sources.
* Make certain everyone knows how the Emergency Alert System works,
particularly in the event of local terrorism.
* Have a news source. Arrange now to have network availability.
* Do an alliance now with the news station in town...radio or TV...and
work together.
* Make sure your staff knows what to do any time of day or night
under any circumstances, whether you have live talent on or voice
tracking.
* Have experts lined up. This attack could be germ warfare, nuclear,
etc., have experts available.
* Establish contact at a local or regional military base to call
for updates and information.
* Have someone designated now that is your "go to" person
on the staff to take ownership of getting as prepared as possible.
* Contact city and/or county state officials now to let them know
of your preparation, that you want to know how to contact them at
the necessary time and have them available.
There is a lot to address and consider that can't be addressed here.
These are thought-starters. The point is for you to be prepared.
Advise your staff to use good judgment.
Vallie Richards Consulting specializes in all forms of adult-contemporary
and top-40 radio. Its Web site is www.vallierichards.com.
RW Online welcomes other
points of view.
|
